What is the difference in risk of early prostate cancer death between men at higher vs lower genetic risk?

In a two-decade-long study published in JAMA Network Open , researchers analyzed the risk of early prostate cancer death among men with higher versus lower genetic risk, using data from two prospective cohort studies in Sweden and the United States of America (US). They found that men with higher genetic risk had significantly increased rates of early and late prostate cancer mortality, with one-third of these early deaths predicted to be preventable through healthy lifestyle behaviors. Study: Early Prostate Cancer Deaths Among Men With Higher vs Lower Genetic Risk .

Image Credit: NTshutterth/Shutterstock.com Despite advances in early diagnosis and treatment, prostate cancer continues to be a leading cause of cancer death among men, with approximately 400,000 annual deaths globally. Notably, one-third of these deaths occur before age 75 years, highlighting the need for new prevention approaches.

Targeting high-risk populations, including men with a high polygenic risk score (PRS), offers a promising approach. PRSs effectively stratify prostate cancer risk and mortality. Combining PRS with family history or rare variant measurements can enhance risk assessment.

While established risk factors are nonmodifiable, lifestyle behaviors like maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and regular physical activity may reduce the risk of prostate cancer progression and death, particularly in high-risk individuals. However, the extent to which targeted prevention strategies can reduce p.